Re: Getting Started

["Thomas Ward" <tward@bright.net>]

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MessageHi, Rodney. At the time only hardware synths are supported, and for many reasons they have always been more supirior to software synths anyway.
You can get a Double Talk PC or LT for less than $300.00 which is pretty fare for the proformence you get. Personally, I suggest the Double Talk LT because of it's portability, and can be easily taken from computer to computer.
If memory serves me TVI, www.tvi-web.com, has the best prices on hardware synths.
As for being a web server Linux does that pretty awesome. In fact  I use an internal Linux web server with Apache to test and develope web sites before they are actually posted to whoever's  server they will be going on.
Ok, as for making kernels that isn't as bad as it sounds. In short you just download the latest speakup source, and the latest kernel 2.4.x kernel, and patch it with the install script.
Then, you would run a make config. Basically, it is a series of questions on processor type, hard drive controlers, floppy controlers, network cards, sound cards, and that kind of thing.Once done you can easily type a line like this.

make dep ; make clean ; make modules ; make bzImage 
Then, once compiled you can type,
make modules_install ; make install

Make sure that after installing your new kernel that you have configured your boot loaders conf file to reflect the new kernel version.
If using lilo the file is:
/etc/lilo.conf
If using grub, which I like better, the file is:
/etc/grub.conf



.
Compiling and installing new kernels isn't as terrible as it sounds. In short you run make config, and 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rodney 
  To: speakup@braille.uwo.ca 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2001 3:43 PM
  Subject: Getting Started


  Well I am a serious newby when it comes to Linux.  I have a donor computer (Pentium 166), it has a network and sound card.  On my other computers I use Windows 98 SE with JAWS (Eloquence) and a sound card.  I don't own any hardware synthesizers yet.

  I am familiar with partitioning and formatting hard drives.  I am not afraid of working with the hardware.  My research on the internet tells me that I need to purchase a hardware synthesizer for the donor computer before I attempt to install Linux on it.

  Also I am not currently familiar with compiling kernels.  However, I am a computer professional (developer) so I should be able to pick it up.

  I'll stop my rambling now and hope someone can point me in the right direction.

  My goal is to create  a low cost web server for development and production work.  So far I heard that Speak Up may be the way to go.

  Thanks.
  Rodney

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